Conviction, Strength, and Determination: Unova Challenge
by RedAuraGuard
Summary: Ash has fallen to Tobias in the Sinnoh League, and plans on challenging Unova. Except this time, he's not just taking Pikachu; he's taking more Pokémon and even an old friend. Read on for more!
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1: Reunion**_

_**A/N: Well, no points for originality for the title of this chapter, but oh well! I tried for the title of the fanfic, at least.**_

_**Anyway, updates should be a little more frequent, seeing as my classes are done. FINALLY!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

"Man, when are we gonna win a league, Pikachu?" Ash sighed as he walked down the familiar path of Pallet Town, still downcast over his fall to Tobias. True, the man did have two powerful Legendaries in Darkrai and Latios that fell to Ash's Pokemon, but it was still a loss. Didn't he deserve to win at least one tournament after all that they had been through?

Pikachu nuzzled its Trainer's cheek, trying to bring him out of his sullen mood. He smiled, and looked towards his hometown with new hope; surely his next journey would turn out better. _But still, screw the whole idea of starting only with Pikachu! I'm bringing Charizard, and maybe Sceptile… Snorlax could use the exercise…_

The Trainer looked around the forest, and stopped in shock. There were so many Pokemon not from Kanto! Silcoon, Aipom, even a Heracross or two! What was going on? _Oh, right. It must be that time of the year again; migration season. Professor Oak told me about it; since last year, Pokemon from various regions have been appearing here and stay for several months._

Continuing forward, Ash saw Professor Oak's lab, the spacious ranch behind it, the various houses in the town, and finally his home. Where he could relax and take a breather from his arduous travels, or at least have a nice homemade meal.

Striding into his house, he announced, "Mom, I'm home!" To his surprise, his mother and her Mr. Mime weren't the only ones there. Max and May awaited him, grinning.

May was in her attire from when she went to Sinnoh for the Wallace Cup; a recolored version of her Hoenn clothes, along with some red. Ash noticed that she now wore earrings with what looked like sapphires on them, and a green bracelet of some sort.

Max, on the other hand, had changed drastically from their last meeting. His glasses now had a slimmer frame, and he a white-hooded green T-shirt similar to that of his old collared shirt, except with blue sleeves. He also had gloves very similar to those that Ash wore on his Sinnoh journey, except with a rectangular gap in the back. Instead of his brown cargo shorts, he now wore red jeans that stopped just above his ankles. To top it off, he had grown taller and his eyes shone with a fierce determination to succeed.

"Ash! It's great to see you again!" Delia cried, dashing from the kitchen to hug her son. Behind her, Mr. Mime waved happily, which Ash returned.

"Hey, Ash!" Max said happily. "I'm a Trainer, now! I started out with Treecko, and do you remember the Ralts that I promised to return for? Well, he found me first!" His grin could have lit up a dark cavern, it was so bright. "On the morning of my tenth birthday, Ralts had teleported in my room and was waiting for me! Nearly gave me a heart attack, but it was so worth it!"

_Of course, some things never change. Max's energy, for one, _Ash thought to himself. _Lock him into a small room and the room will probably explode._

"Not particularly for the rest of us, since Ralts teleported AGAIN onto the kitchen table," May commented. "Anyway, it's great to see you!" She hugged her long-time friend, Ash secretly blushing from the contact.

Delia suddenly remembered something, and brought plate after plate of food. "You must be hungry after all of that walking. Help yourselves, everyone!"

"Thanks!" With that, everyone dug in. Unsurprisingly, Ash and May ate with speed normally not seen at a table. Max shook his head in amusement at the sight, while Delia suppressed a laugh.

"So, Ash," Max began after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Where are you going next?"

"I'm planning on going to a region called Unova," the older Trainer replied. "Professor Rowan from the Sinnoh Region suggested that I go there. What about you, Max? I'm guessing Hoenn?"

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," said Max. Ash looked confused.

"Would it be all right if Max went with you to Unova?" May pleaded. "He's always wanted to go with you on a journey to somewhere, and I'm sure you could teach him a whole bunch of cool things."

"Yeah!" her brother exclaimed. "It would be awesome if you could, but I'll understand if you can't."

Ash smiled; it sounded like a good idea, even if the request was a bit sudden. With Max's Pokenav, they wouldn't get lost, and he could teach his friend on how to be a good Trainer. _Don't want him to wind up like some people I met. Damien, Paul back in my early days of Sinnoh… the list goes on. _

"I think it's a wonderful idea, dear," Delia said, taking a seat. "What do you say?"

He didn't hesitate with his answer. "Sure you can join me! I'd love the company, and I wouldn't mind showing you a thing or two."

Max looked ready to grow wings and fly in excitement. "Thanks so much! It'll be just like in Hoenn, except that I'm an actual Trainer now!"

"I hope not," May commented, making the whole group burst into laughter.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"How do you like the new clothes, Ash?" his mother asked kindly.

After the meal was done, Delia had revealed that she had bought a new outfit for her son. Unlike the previous clothes, this one had a theme of red. A red-and blue cap with a lightning bolt on its front, a white hoodie with red cuffs and rim, and dark blue jeans, all accompanied by black sneakers with streaks of red. Ash had one thought; _This... is… awesome! _"I love it, Mom! Thanks!"

May whistled. "Not half bad. Looks great on you."

"Wow, that's so cool!" Max cried. "How hard was it to get those, Mrs. Ketchum? They look really expensive."

"Oh, the design is just new," she replied, smiling in satisfaction. "They were actually on sale as a promotion, and I thought they would look good on you. Clearly I thought right."

"Who are you gonna take with you to Unova?" Max suddenly asked. _I hope he brings his Sceptile and Swellow; they were so awesome!_

"Well, Pikachu is a certainty," Ash replied, rubbing his starter's head and getting a contented cry in return. "I'm not just taking Pikachu this time, though. Sceptile's probably coming with me-" He was interrupted by his younger friend's cheer. "I'm gonna take Infernape, too. The rest I'll leave here for now."

"An Infernape? Isn't that the evolved form of the Fire-type starter of Sinnoh, Chimchar?" May asked.

Ash nodded. "He's one of my best Pokemon now, second only to Charizard and maybe Pikachu." He winced at the jolt of electricity from the slightly offended Pokemon. Anyway, where and when's the next ferry, Max?"

Opening his Pokenav and scrolling down a menu, he replied, "The closest one's in Vermillion City, and it leaves tomorrow at one-o-clock. We could get there today if we fly."

"In that case, I'll get Staraptor and Swellow as well. May, you coming with us?" Ash turned to Max's sister.

She shook her head. "No, I need to train for Contests and such. Drew, Solidad, and even Harley are really tough opponents, and I need to be ready. Enjoy yourselves, though. Max, stay out of trouble, understand?"

Her little brother rolled his eyes. "I know, May. Don't worry! You'd better watch out for Harley, though. Remember Mayley?" She shuddered at the mere memory, closing her eyes to try and forget those Contests.

_That's when Dawn's mother usually worries; when someone says "No need to worry", _Ash thought to himself, suppressing a laugh. "Good luck in your contests, May!"

"Thanks, and good luck to you both!" she replied happily, getting ready to leave. "I gotta get going soon; I'm expected at a Contest meeting. Mrs. Ketchum, thanks for everything!"

"You're welcome, dear," Delia replied. "Come back any time! You as well, Max! Stay safe, everyone!"

With that, the group went their separate ways. May took off on an Altaria (_a new Pokemon she caught, _Ash thought to himself), Max and Ash went to Professor Oak's Ranch, and Delia waved goodbye to them from the porch with Mr. Mime.

On the way to the Ranch, Max had an endless barrage of questions, making Ash remember the times back in Hoenn. Who did he travel with? Who was his rival this time? What did he catch? How did Tobias have Darkrai and Latios? Fortunately for the older Trainer, the Ranch did not take long to get to, sparing him from all of the questions.

"Ash, my boy! How are you? Max, how about you?" Professor Oak said jovially as he saw the pair approach the lab.

"Great, thanks!" Max replied. "I'm a Trainer now!"

"I'm doing fine; I just need to drop off some Pokemon and pick a few up for Unova," he replied.

"Sure thing- wait, you're bringing some of your Pokemon with you this time?" The Professor was shocked; Ash had never thought to do that before.

"Yeah, I want to actually win a League this time, and train some of my old Pokemon. I'd like to take Sceptile and Swellow this time. I'm only leaving some of my Sinnoh Pokemon with you."

The old Professor's grin couldn't have been wider. "That's great, Ash! I was wondering if you were going to do that at all. It's good to train some of your other Pokemon as well. All right, give me the Pokeballs and I'll make the exchange." Handing the Pokeballs for Buizel, Torterra and Gliscor, he watched Professor Oak place the Pokeballs into a machine to record data, before calling for Sceptile and Swellow. The two looked extremely excited at the prospect of traveling with Ash yet again. Returning them to their Pokeballs, he hurried over to the Trainers.

"Ash, Max. I should warn you about something," Professor Oak said as he handed the two Pokeballs to the older Trainer. "Some people in Unova don't take kindly to outsiders. I went on a visit there one time; some of the Trainers didn't respect me just because I was from Kanto." Seeing the looks on their faces, he said hastily, "Not all of them, however. Some of them treated me like another Professor. Just stay on your guards and you should both do great!"

"Thanks, Professor!" both Trainers said as they headed to the road outside of Pallet.

As they traveled, Ash wondered something. "Max, how many Pokemon do you have? Just Treecko and Ralts?"

"Yep, I plan to catch some more, soon. Whatever I run into, I guess," Max replied.

The older Trainer suddenly remembered everything that he had seen on the way to his home. "You know, Kanto seems full of Pokemon not from this region. You wanna try to catch something before we go?"

"Yeah!" Max looked eager. "I'm hoping to meet an Aipom, just like yours. Apparently they can have an ability called Technician, which boosts the power of weaker moves. It sounds great!"

"Well, speak of the devil," said Ash. "There's one now." He pointed towards one of the trees, revealing the hidden Normal-type Pokemon in the leaves.

"Cool!" Max quickly whipped out his Pokedex and pressed a button. Part of the device slid open, allowing him to scan the Pokemon. "It has the Run Away ability… hmm, not Technician… oh, right! Aipom's don't have Technician; their evolved forms do if the Aipom has Run Away! Sweet!"

"Go for it, Max," Ash encouraged. "Pikachu and I will make sure it doesn't get away." _I'm glad he scanned it BEFORE he went for it. Mmh, I'm sure he would have kept it if he caught it, anyway._

"Ralts, let's go!" he declared, tossing a Pokeball and revealing the small Psychic-type. "Use Confusion on Aipom!"

The Pokemon nodded, before raising its arms and mustering psychic energy into the attack. Suddenly, Aipom found itself being lifted up into the air and slammed into the ground. It growled angrily, challenging Ralts. The Psychic-type grinned and got ready to use more attacks.

"All right!" Max cheered. "Now use Magical Leaf!" Glowing leaves suddenly appeared around Ralts, who flung them at its wild opponent. Aipom barely countered with a Fury Swipes, blocking the leaves. Suddenly, it tried to speed forward with a Scratch.

"One more Confusion!" Aipom found itself in the same situation as before, except it could not find the strength to rise after crashing into the ground.

"Let's go, Pokeball!" Max yelled, throwing the capsule. Landing on its target, the Pokeball opened and absorbed the Aipom in a red light. Closing, it shook gently. The Trainer stared at it with intense concentration. Suddenly, it stopped shaking and the button glowed red, signaling the capture.

"Awesome! Great job, Ralts!" he cried, hugging his Pokemon. "You were awesome, just like always!" The Feeling Pokemon also smiled, just as happy as its Trainer.

The older Trainer was stunned; that was a perfect way to fight and catch with a wild Pokemon. For a beginner, he sure knew what he was doing. _Challenge them by landing the first attack, keep them occupied with attacks, use the terrain to your advantage- in this case, the hard ground- that's impressive!_

"That was great, Max! You and Ralts have a real bond," Ash congratulated. "Your dad must have trained you since you went home from our Hoenn travels, huh?"

"Yeah, Dad did teach me. He'd lend me Slakoth or Vigoroth, and we'd have some practice battles," he admitted. "Mostly, I remembered all of your advice that you gave me for battling wild Pokemon. Looks like it worked." Ralts nodded in agreement, before climbing onto his shoulder.

_Wow, he held me in THAT high regard? Did I really miss that? _"Well, that's great! Now, let's fly. Staraptor, Swellow, I choose you!" Tossing up the Pokeballs, he revealed the two large Flying-types. "Can you take us to Vermillion City? I'll guide you." The two nodded, and landed to allow the Trainers to board.

Ash sat on Staraptor, while Max took a seat on Swellow. Taking off, Ash took the lead and acted as the guide to Vermillion City. Surprisingly, they didn't get lost; instead, they were able to reach the city within half an hour. Landing on an empty field just outside of Vermillion City, they looked around.

"Wow, Ash," Max joked. "You didn't get us lost, for once. Nice to have a change of pace."

"Oh, shut up," Ash replied, laughing. "Anyway, you wanna get a bit of training in, as soon as we treat Aipom?" Max just nodded and dismounted Swellow quickly, rubbing its head as thanks. Pulling out a Potion from his bag, he tossed up Aipom's Pokeball, releasing the still-dazed and injured Pokemon. He sprayed the medicine on the various bruises from the battle, causing said marks to disappear. Aipom looked happy to have been treated, and quickly balanced itself on its tail, ready for whatever adventure came up first. Max also let his Treecko out of its Pokeball; it stood patiently, a twig in its mouth. Ralts teleported from his shoulder to directly in front of him.

"Hey, you guys ready for some training?" he asked the trio. The three Pokemon cheered, eager to get stronger. "That's the spirit! Ash, what should we do to begin? Work on our general fitness?"

"That's a good idea," Ash replied. "But first, I'd like to see how well you can work with your Pokemon, so here's my plan. You and your three Pokemon battle Pikachu so that I can see what you need help in and where you're strong."

Max stared; Ash had grown so much since they last met. He used to take training so lightly; now he was deadly serious with what he did. _Oh, if only he had been like this in Hoenn, he would have stormed through the competition. _"All right, then! Aipom, you ready for your first battle?" The Normal-type nodded eagerly, ready to take on its experienced opponent. "Let's see what you know…" Max took out his Pokedex to check for what moves Aipom could use. _Scratch, Fury Swipes, Astonish… ooh, Fake Out. That's cool; an Egg move! Tail Whip… very solid moveset! It's time to take my first step in the real world of battling._

"Pikachu, don't go all out right now. We want to test them, not blast craters into the ground," Ash warned his Pokemon. Pikachu nodded happily and leapt off of its Trainer's shoulder, ready to fight. "You have the first move, Max!"

"Thanks!" Max shouted. "Now, Aipom! Use Fake Out!" The Pokemon suddenly sped forward and slammed its hands onto Pikachu's cheeks, scaring it and leaving it immobile for a moment.

"Now use Fury Swipes!" The Pokemon raked its claws on the Electric-type multiple times, making Pikachu growl in pain and anger.

_Fake out, huh? Gonna need to watch for that in the future, _Ash thought to himself. "All right, Pikachu! Use Quick Attack!" Eager for revenge, his starter ran towards Aipom and ran into it, knocking it back several feet and leaving it dazed yet again.

"Iron Tail!" Spinning in midair, Pikachu aimed its glowing tail at the downed Aipom, seeking to knock it out or test its creativity.

_Oh man, Aipom's in trouble! What do I do… oh, right! _"Aipom, grab Pikachu's tail with your own and use Astonish!" Smirking, Max's new Pokemon twisted and grabbed its opponent's attack, leaving it stuck. Aipom then screamed into Pikachu's face, making the Mouse Pokemon flinch in surprise.

"Bad move, Max!" Ash called. "Thunderbolt, go!"

_Aw, no… _"Get out of there, Aipom!" It was too late, however; Pikachu had released its electricity in a vengeful strike, knocking out its less-experienced opponent within seconds.

"Aipom, you were great," Max said with a sad smile. "Get some rest." With that, he raised the Pokeball and recalled his Pokemon. "Now what to do… Treecko, you're up!" The Grass-type starter ran forward, prepared to battle.

"Quick Attack again, Pikachu!" Pikachu ran forward at blinding speeds towards Treecko.

"Sidestep with Quick Attack, then Pound!" Max yelled. Treecko reacted with no time to spare; it stepped out of the way just as Pikachu ran into the space where Treecko was a moment ago. It then leapt into the air and hit Pikachu on the head with its tail. Unfortunately for Max, Treecko looked pained as it landed. Electricity crackled around it, and it staggered.

"Uh-oh, Static," he groaned. "How could I forget?"

"Be careful of abilities like those, Max," Ash chuckled. "Volt Tackle into an Iron Tail!" Treecko stared as its opponent charged forward, body streaming with electricity and tail glowing with silver energy.

"Dodge and use Absorb, quickly!" cried the Trainer. Unfortunately, the paralysis took effect and left Treecko immobilized; time for Pikachu to slam its electrified tail into its opponent and leave it unconscious.

"Last Pokemon, Max," Ash told his friend. "Make it count."

"Treecko, thanks for everything," said Max as he recalled his fallen Pokemon. "Get some rest." Turning to his last team member, he said, "You ready?" Ralts nodded and walked forward, eager to battle despite what had happened to the previous challengers.

"This time, I'll take the initiative. Thunderbolt, again!" Pikachu charged electricity in its cheeks, before firing the attack in a concentrated bolt.

"Teleport into a Double Team!" Max yelled. Ralts disappeared from view just as the Thunderbolt struck where it stood a moment ago. It reappeared as a group of clones circling Pikachu. The Mouse Pokemon looked around frantically as it searched for the real one.

"Great, Ralts!" Max cheered. "Now use Confusion! Hold it down, and use Magical Leaf!" Every Ralts clone raised their arms, the real one summoning psychic energy to trap Pikachu. Struggling, it could only watch and groan in pain as it was struck by a multitude of glowing leaves.

"Counter Shield!" Ash shouted. Pikachu's electricity sparked around it, allowing it to break free from its bonds and spin. It shot electricity all around itself in a vortex-like attack, which wiped out the clones of its opponent and struck the real one. Only one more Quick Attack was necessary to finish of Ralts; it flew back and did not get up.

"Ralts!" Max cried, running to his Pokemon and picking it up gently. "Thanks for all of your effort, buddy. Take a good rest." He recalled his Pokemon to the capsule and sighed; he got trashed. _No wonder; I was up against Ash…_

"Hey, you did well, Max. Don't be so hard on yourself," the older Trainer said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We learn from victories, but we learn more from failures. Trust me; I learned that the hard way."

Finally, the younger Trainer smiled. "Thanks, Ash. Let's go to the Pokemon Center now."

"Good idea."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Your Pokemon should be all healed up within a few hours," the nurse at the desk said kindly, smiling brightly as she took the tray that held Max's Pokeballs.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," said Trainer replied as she walked off. Afterwards, the two Trainers sat down at a table to discuss the battle.

"All right, Max, here's what I noticed during our battle," Ash said. "You're a natural, no doubt about that. However, you tend to make reckless calls, such as having Aipom grab Pikachu. If they can shock you, don't grab them. If you use physical attacks on them, have your Pokemon back away as soon as possible. Another thing is abilities. If you know a Pokemon has an ability that can harm you if you make contact, do everything within your power to not use physical attacks. I heard you call for an Absorb attack. Even though it's actually weaker than Pound and Quick Attack, it would have been the superior option." Max nodded, understanding his friend's logic. "Don't mistake me; you definitely did things right during our battle."

"You're quick to react to situations, and you battle really well with Pokemon you recently obtained. Aipom, for example. You utilized its speed well and landed a clean barrage of attacks on Pikachu. That's really impressive. I'm sure that Treecko would have lasted much longer if it hadn't been affected by the paralysis. Ralts has serious potential; using Double Team and trapping Pikachu with Confusion, along with striking with more attacks, would have been sure to take down an opponent of around your own level. To top it off, you're creative with attacks; using Quick Attack to dodge is very smart, to name one example." The younger Trainer looked happy at the praise. "Remember, Max: no one starts at the top, but anyone can work their way up there."

"Thanks, Ash. Seriously," Max said. For once, he had a solemn expression on his face. "We'll work really hard and aim to be the best we can be."

"That's the spirit of a true master," his friend and mentor said proudly, ruffling his hair. "Now, let's get something to eat."

Max smirked and counted down from three with his fingers. As if on cue, when the last finger went down, Ash's stomach growled.

They laughed; some things indeed never change.

_**A/N: And that's the first chapter done!**_

_**The inspiration for Max's design was thanks to the artist: art/Max-the-Pokemon-Trainer-317589696?offset=20#comments**_

_**All credits go to the actual artist. I claim NOTHING.**_

_**How was it? Did you like it? Do you appreciate Max coming back? (If you don't, sorry). Do you think I should add any more past characters?**_

_**Leave responses in the reviews!**_

_**Read, review, and I'll see you next time!**_

_**~RedAuraGuard, signing out.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2: Training, Part 1**_

_**A/N: Wow, 2 chapters in 2 days?! Granted, this one was posted at nearly 11:00 in the evening Eastern time, but oh well!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

"Ash, are you sure you're gonna be okay?"

After dropping off their Pokemon in the Center, the two Trainers went to the cafeteria in the building, where Ash had promptly loaded a tray with food. Ignoring his friend's rolling eyes and the stares of horror from the other diners, he started scarfing it down.

"Never been better," the older Trainer mumbled from the food. "You're not hungry?"

"What are you talking about? My tray's got a normal amount of food on it; you just can't see it from your personal mountain."

"Oh." Ash peered over his tray. "I see it now."

After the pair were done eating, Max said, "I'm gonna get the tickets for tomorrow's ferry. Don't worry about the cost; my dad gave me the money for it."

"Thanks Max! Meet me in the lounge when you're done." With that, Max and Ash went their separate ways for the moment; the younger Trainer to the front desk of the Pokemon Center, and Ash to the building's lounge.

Reclining on one of the couches, Ash took the time to relax and think. He now had an apprentice to train; something that he had never done before. _It's clear that he does use his head when he battles, unlike me back in Hoenn. Good thing he does; makes our lives a whole lot easier. First thing to remember is to keep his mind active. Maybe I could have Swellow or Staraptor try to land a light blow on his Pokemon, and Max has to tell them exactly how to dodge. No, evading aerial attacks should wait until later. If I can push him and his team to the limit, both physically and mentally, they'll have to push back by improving. Don't wanna go overboard, though. _His thoughts were interrupted by a group of raucous Trainers; the voices were familiar. _Now where have I heard those voices before?_

"So, we're headed to a place called Unova?"

"Yeah, we're gonna catch the best Pokemon there and trash the League. With those Pokemon and our own, we had better win this time."

"Sounds brilliant! You're the man…"

Ash's eyes narrowed as one of the Trainers finished his sentence.

"…Damian."

_DAMMIT! WHY?! THEY'RE going to Unova as well?! Ugh, this is gonna be annoying. I better keep Max away from that group; the less he knows about them, the better. On that note, I'd better ask him to buy some headache medicine; we might need it. _Clenching his fist, he knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to confront them then and there. _I could take them easily with Infernape, Sceptile, Swellow, and Staraptor, but Max wouldn't be able to fight them yet. Despite the fact that they're the absolute worst kinds of Trainers possible, they're still stronger than Max. I hate to admit; I really do!_

Fortunately for the Trainer, Damian and his group walked off, laughing and pushing off anyone trying to move out of the way. Several seconds later, Max came over holding two ferry tickets.

"Who were they?" he asked. "I don't like the looks of them." Looking at Ash's face, he guessed, "You know them, don't you?"

"Afraid so," the older Trainer sighed. "They're the worst kinds of Trainers you could possibly meet. I didn't expect them to be going to Unova as well; this could be a bother. I didn't want to tell you this, but… their leader, Damian, was my Charizard's original Trainer, when Charizard was a Charmander. Damian abandoned Charmander on a rock and left him to die, telling him that he'd return. If it wasn't for Misty, Brock, and I, Charmander wouldn't be alive."

Max stared in shock. How could someone do that to a Pokemon? "But… why?" was all he could get out.

"Because," said Ash sadly, "he only cares about Pokemon who are powerful from the start, so that he doesn't have to train them. That's not the proper way to raise Pokemon, and we both know it. But some don't."

Max shook his head. "That's sick. Treating a Pokemon like that is completely messed up. When I get my hands on him-"

"Hold on, Max," his friend said hastily. "Despite the fact that he's a jerk, he's still a more experienced trainer than you, and I don't want you to get hurt. Don't worry; you will get stronger and be able to easily beat him. Until then, let me take care of it, okay?"

Ash was glad to see Max understand his logic and nod. "Okay, I trust your judgment. Thanks, Ash. Let's go check on our Pokemon."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Your Pokemon have made a perfect recovery," the nurse at the front desk said cheerily. "Have a nice day!"

"Thank you very much," both Trainers said as Max took his Pokeballs and Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder. Ralts came out of its Pokeball to hang onto its Trainer's shoulder, much to his content.

"That was quick," Ash remarked. He chuckled as his starter rubbed its (non-sparking) cheek affectionately.

"Sure was, and I'm glad. Are you doing alright, Ralts?" Max replied, getting a nod from his Psychic-type friend. Ash turned to his new student.

"Now that your Pokemon are fully healed and I know what they can do, we can begin to actually train," the older Trainer said.

Max grinned. "Sounds like a plan! Let's get started!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

After leaving the Center, the two Trainers went to a local training center that was built recently. While Ash was in Sinnoh, a group of Trainers had decided to build a separate training area from the Gym because of its Leader. Lt. Surge wasn't a bad person; he just enjoyed powerful attacks too much. Such was how the Vermillion Training Dome was born.

Or so it was said by the person who Ash had asked for directions from. After saying a quick thank-you and moving on, he thought about how Max's Pokemon could improve, and what kinds of Pokemon that Max could catch. _As for what he's capable of catching, it's borderline anything once he has the required power. I think a Dragon-type would do some good. On that note, I should really raise Gible; it could be a nightmare to stop once it evolves. As for training, I think it would be best for his Ralts to learn Psychic soon; its extra power would seriously help against the Gym Leaders who they're going to face. Treecko could learn Energy Ball from Torterra, and it could swallow the attack for more power as well. Aipom needs some stronger moves as well; Heracross knows Focus Punch. That would work; my Aipom used it to great effect. Oh, there's the zone!_

Max had remained silent throughout the walk to the Vermillion Training Dome, seeing the look of concentration on his mentor's face. He knew Ash was silent as well because he was plotting various training methods for the both of them. _It's great that Ash is putting so much effort into helping me; I'm really happy for that._

"Hey Ash, did I ever mention how grateful I am to you for doing this for me?" the younger Trainer told his mentor as the two walked down the street to reach their destination.

"It's fine, Max," Ash said cheerfully. "Truth be told, I'm glad that you wanted to come with me; it's nice to have a familiar face on a new journey like this." Pikachu nodded happily in agreement. The small group gave each other large smiles, before striding into the building.

The dome was, to say the least, impressive. The large lobby had cushions on which people and Pokemon were stretching, and couches where others were resting their weary muscles. Computers were in all four corners of the room, and people were constantly exchanging Pokemon to train. Behind the glass sliding doors was one massive battlefield, where Pokemon trained against each other and even people sparred against one another.

"Wow… this place is intense," Max murmured.

"Sure is," Ash commented. "Well, we let's get started!" As they walked into the battlefield and looked for a place to train, some of the Trainers looked at them disapprovingly. Most of the people in the dome didn't care that another group had walked in, but a few thought of them as weak.

"Hey, who are the shrimps?"

"Bet you the smaller guy's gonna go running back to mommy after the first ten minutes."

"Little kids like them shouldn't be training here."

Ash narrowed his eyes at the commenters, and whispered to Max, "Ignore them. They don't know what they're talking about."

Suddenly, they were approached by one of the Trainers in the dome. "This place is for men only. You two kids should get outta here if you know what's good for you. Otherwise, Hitmonlee and I are gonna have to throw you out." He snapped his fingers, and a Hitmonlee sprang towards his side, kicking the air to show off its strength.

Ash simply rolled his eyes, noticing the murmurs of disapproval throughout the dome. "Is that so? Infernape, a little help?" He tossed up the Pokeball, revealing the burning Fire-and-Fighting type Pokemon. It roared out in challenge, fiery crown blazing in all of its glory.

"Hah, a weak Pokemon like that against us? Give up," the Trainer smirked. Ash did not look impressed; instead, he gave one simple command.

"Flare Blitz."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The resulting explosion shook everyone in the dome. Those on the battlefield flinched from the blast of heat that emanated through the field, and those in the lobby jumped from the sound of the blast. Everyone who decided to take a look at the site of the impact saw a large, still-smoking crater, a singed and unconscious Hitmonlee lying pitifully at the bottom. An Infernape stood over the rim of said crater, wincing slightly from the recoil. Even so, it still looked bored from the "battle".

Infernape's Trainer raised an eyebrow, making his opponent recall his Hitmonlee and flee the dome. It did not escape Ash's notice that everyone was staring at him in shock at his power. Turning to Max, he saw that Ralts had used its Confusion to stop the heated shockwaves of the attack, and the pair was standing at Ash's side unharmed.

"So, Max, ready to start training?" Ash asked, after thanking Infernape and returning it to its Pokeball. Max could only nod in mute agreement, still stunned at Infernape's amazing display of strength.

As they looked for a spot, several people hastily moved to give them some room. As this happened, the rest of the people slowly went back to their previous activities, though still in awe at the new Trainer. Just who was he?

Ash began by saying, "Now, as you know, one of the most important traits of a Pokemon is its move-pool. Your team is quite good physically for their ages, but move-wise, they need improvement. Pikachu, you work with Ralts and try to have Ralts learn Thunderbolt." Pikachu nodded and jumped off of its Trainer's shoulder, motioning for the Psychic-type to join it. Hesitantly, it nodded and teleported off of Max's shoulder to begin training.

"Now, send out Treecko and Aipom. Sceptile's going to work with you first, to train with physical attacks. Max, I want you to give them commands with attacks, and Sceptile will block them. Be creative with your attacks. Understand?" His trainee nodded, and tossed up his other two Pokeballs. The capsules revealed the two healthy Pokemon, ready to start. Ash sent out his Sceptile and explained the situation to his loyal Grass-type. It nodded and got ready to defend itself.

"I'm going to get Torterra and Heracross in the meantime, to work on moves. Be right back." With that, Ash walked to the lobby to speak with Professor Oak. To his satisfaction, he noticed that no one spoke badly about him or Max from then on.

"Ah, Ash! How are you doing?" the old Profesosr asked the Trainer.

"I'm doing fine, thanks. Max and I are training in Vermillion City until tomorrow. I'm sending Staraptor and Swellow back; can you send over Torterra and Heracross?"

"Sure thing, my boy! Would I be right in assuming that you're teaching Max's Pokemon some new moves?"

Ash nodded. "Yep, and I must say, they're eager to learn. I'm proud to be their mentor."

Professor Oak looked in wonder at the young Trainer on the video chat. He used to be an overly energetic, slightly naïve boy who wanted nothing more than to take on all of the Gym Leaders in the world. He had matured so much throughout the past few years, and the accumulation of that was right in front of him.

"Something wrong, Professor?"

He was jolted out of his reverie by Ash's voice. "No, nothing's wrong. I'll send over the two Pokemon you asked for right away." He hurried into the ranch and called for Torterra and Heracross. After returning the two to their Pokeballs, he placed them on the transporter. After a flash of light, two different Pokeballs awaited him; Swellow's and Staraptor's.

"Here you are, Ash. Let me know if you need anything else."

"Thanks, Professor." With that, he severed the connection and returned to the battlefield. When he walked back in, he saw Max giving commands to Treecko and Aipom to attack Sceptile. The pair was doing reasonably well against the experienced veteran, even though Sceptile made no motion to retaliate. To the side, Pikachu was sending small waves of electricity into Ralts' horn, while the Psychic-type was balling up psychic energy into a more concentrated form.

"Aipom, Fury Swipes! Treecko, Quick Attack into Sceptile's side!" Max commanded. The Normal-type scratched at its older sparring partner, but the attack was blocked by swift parries by Sceptile. In the meantime, Treecko tried dashing to the side and towards its evolved form with a Quick Attack, but the large Pokemon simply sent Treecko flying with a swipe of its tail.

Ash let this exchange continue for fifteen more minutes, assessing Max's creativity. _Overall, he's doing pretty well. He might not be landing any hits, but that's because Sceptile's way more experienced. It looks like Ralts is going to be able use Thunderbolt soon, and possibly Psychic._

"All right, that's enough," he interrupted, stopping the practice battle. "Max, Treecko and Aipom should learn some new attacks from two of my older Pokemon. In the meantime, let's talk strategy for a bit."

"Okay. Treecko, Aipom, follow what Ash's Pokemon are teaching, okay?" he told his Pokemon. They nodded eagerly, excited at the prospect of learning new moves. Ash tossed up his Pokeballs, revealing Torterra and Heracross. They motioned for the younger Pokemon to follow them, having already been informed of what to do by Professor Oak.

Ash and Max went to the lobby to do some stretches and discuss what to do in battles. _We're going to need to put the concepts into practice later, _Ash thought to himself. _Talk and knowledge is useless if you can't back it up._

"Let's begin. Max, what would have your Aipom do if it was up against an opponent using Dig?" Ash asked as the two sat on cushions and worked on their flexibility.

"Umm, have Aipom wait and dodge when it senses the Pokemon's movements," he replied.

"Wrong. There are very few non-Ground-type sensitive enough for that, and even they need to have strict training to be able to do so. Aipom has a large tail that it can balance on, so it should do so. That will minimize the damage taken, and then it can take your opponent by surprise. The minimized contact with the ground will also increase your Pokemon's chances of avoiding the attack. Now, what would you do if Ralts was in that situation?"

Max took a moment to think. _I'd say that Ralts should sense its opponent's presence with its psychic powers, but maybe that's the wrong answer, too. Ugh, I just don't know!_

His look of confusion didn't escape the notice of his mentor. "Max, be confident in your answers. The point of this is to correct your errors, so don't worry about making them," Ash said comfortingly.

His friend nodded in thanks. "I'd have Ralts sense where its opponent's coming from because it's a Psychic-type, and then Teleport to the side of the point of impact."

Ash smiled. "That's correct. See, Max? Be confident in yourself, and learn from your errors. That's the best way to learn." They continued this practice for another half hour, Ash quizzing his friend on how to deal with various kinds of situations. Max, after calming himself, did well on the questioning. He made errors, but Ash explained exactly why his choices were incorrect and what a correct response would be. During this time, Torterra was teaching Treecko how to use Energy Ball. In the meantime, Heracross was instructing Aipom in concentrating its energy into the powerful Focus Punch. Pikachu seemed to be satisfied with Ralts' training; the small Psychic-type was now able to control electricity and concentrate it into bolts of lightning.

"Wow, you guys!" Max said excitedly. "You're all growing so quickly!" His three Pokemon gave smiles to their Trainer, and proceeded to work even harder on their respective moves. Treecko was eventually able to fully form the sphere of green energy that was Energy Ball. Aipom was able to concentrate enough to charge hand on its tail into a Focus Punch. Though all of Max's Pokemon were panting from the effort, they were pleased with the results. The older Pokemon looked as proud as the Trainers were. Suddenly, one of the other Trainers in the dome walked up to them.

"Wow, you're Pokemon are doing great, kid," he congratulated. "Normally, with teaching moves without a TM or HM, it takes about an hour at least. You've got a good teacher. Ignore the other guys saying that you shouldn't be training here."

Ash smirked. "I don't hear them saying anything like that right now. But thank you. The larger ones are my Pokemon."

"Yeah, thanks!" added Max.

The Trainer laughed. "No problem. Only giving credit where it's due. I'm Brian, what are you names?"

"I'm Max, and I'm really a new Trainer. I'm being tutored by my friend here."

"I'm Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, and I'm helping my friend. We both plan on challenging the Unova League."

"Cool! Say, Max. Do you wanna have a practice battle with me?" Brian asked. "It'll just be a chance for me to help polish up your Pokemons' moves, of course."

Max looked at his older friend for permission. Ash shrugged. "Go for it, Max. That is, if your Pokemon are able to-" He was interrupted by their vigorous nods, all exhaustion forgotten. "Okay, then."

"All right! I accept!" Max declared.

"Sounds good! A three-on-three then. Let's begin, with Persian!" Brian yelled, tossing a Pokeball to reveal the limber Normal-type. Ash and Max noticed something odd about it.

"It's a straight-tailed Persian," Max muttered. "That's not good." Ash nodded. Looking at Treecko, he said, "You wanna take a shot at it?" The Grass-type nodded and jumped forward.

"We'll begin! Persian, use Slash!" The Classy Cat Pokemon lunged forward with claws bared, snarling in anticipation.

_Breathe, man. Think; what would Ash do? _Max thought to himself, and suddenly smirked. _That could do it. _"Treecko, roll forward under Persian with Quick Attack and use Energy Ball!"

"WHAT?!"

Using its Quick Attack, Treecko performed a perfect roll underneath Persian, avoiding the Slash and leaving the Normal-type victim to the Grass-type attack. Persian was knocked into the air, but was able to land on its feet easily. It then snarled with undisguised anger at its small opponent.

"Well, not bad," Brian complimented his opponent. "But it's gonna take a whole lot more to beat Persian. Now, use Power Gem!"

_**A/N: The second chapter ends with a cliffhanger! How will Max fare against his clearly more experienced opponent?!**_

_**I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and the previous one. Now, for the question of the day: what do you think of Iris, Cilan, and Trip? This question is pretty critical for my future chapters; to see what you think.**_

_**Bonus points if you can point out why a straight-tailed Persian is more dangerous!**_

_**Expect updates on my other stories soon, if I can get over my severe writers' block. XD**_

_**Read, review, and I'll see you next time!**_

_**~Red Aura Guard, signing out.**_


	3. Apology for Lack of Updates

_** Wow, how long has it been since my last update?**_

_** I am SO SORRY for not being able to update within the past few weeks (or is it a month?). My computer's being acting weirdly for a while, misplacing docs, etc. Also, the internet's been… sporadic as of late. To top it off, I've had tests to study for.**_

_** Again, my deepest apologies for the delays, and I hope to update more. :D**_

_**~RedAuraGuard**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3: Arrival in Unova**_

_**A/N: Hey everyone, I finally got this done!**_

_**Not much to say; life goes on as usual, writing is rather slow. Nothing interesting.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

"Now, use Power Gem!"

Persian's gem glowed, and it shot a laser of red energy at the Grass-type starter. Treecko's eyes widened as it saw the blast, and so did Max's eyes.

"Try another Energy Ball!" he cried desperately. The starter's mouth opened, charging the energy. At the same time, the Power Gem collided with the ball and forced Treecko to consume its own attack.

Suddenly, a bright green aura surrounded it, energy curling off in wisps. Treecko stood up with newfound power and confidence. Brian, on the other hand, stared in horror; _what did I just get myself into?_

Ash smiled to himself. _That's what I was hoping would happen._

Max and Treecko looked at their opponents with new determination. "Now, Quick Attack into another Energy Ball!" he yelled. Persian groaned as it felt its stomach being slammed by its opponent, before it was sent flying by the boosted Energy Ball. It growled and landed gracefully on its feet.

_What do we have to do to take this thing down? _Max growled in his mind. _It's taking all of these attacks and just striking back!_

"Slash!" Brian commanded. Persian leapt forward with glowing claws again.

"Use Pound!" Surprisingly, Treecko was able to keep a stalemate with Persian because of the Energy Ball. After several seconds, they were both knocked back, though their conditions were obviously different. The larger Pokemon, though winded, was clearly able to continue on for much longer. The Grass-type, on the other hand, looked ready to fall over.

"Treecko…" Max murmured. "Can you keep going? There's no shame in losing to a more experienced opponent." Though its vision was hazy, the Grass-type wanted nothing more than to make its Trainer proud.

_I hope he meets a Trainer who's not such a veteran at this, _Ash thought worriedly. _Losing like this all the time is gonna kill his confidence._

Persian seemed to be snickering at its opponent, taunting it with mocking gestures. Brian was about to tell Persian to stop, but then saw what it was doing. By mocking its opponent, the Normal-type was hoping to re-ignite Treecko's fighting spirit. _And looks like its taunts are working. Good!_

Treecko's eyes filled with fire, and with one defiant cry, it stood up with its legs sturdier than before. An even larger burst of green energy surrounded it; Overgrow, along with the remnants of the Energy Ball.

"Wow, Treecko!" Max exclaimed in wonder. "That's so cool!" Turning to his opponent, he said, "So that's what Persian was doing. Now, then, let's end this! Treecko, full-power Energy Ball!" Using the last of its power, the starter charged a massive ball of energy and fired it at its enemy.

"All right! Persian, use an all-out Power Gem!" Brian roared. Persian's gem glowed with a brighter light than before, and shot the beam of red energy at the attack.

Both of the Pokemon's last attacks clashed against each other, neither giving ground at the time. Ash, Max, Brian, and even most of the people in the stadium were watching with intense concentration. Sadly, despite the multiple boosts, Energy Ball wasn't able to punch through the Power Gem. The orb exploded in a violent blast and the Rock-type attack plowed into Treecko.

The Grass-type was clearly suffering; when the smoke cleared from the collision, Treecko was standing unnaturally still in a small crater. A bead of sweat traveled down the younger Trainer's head as he watched his wounded starter. Finally, it could stand no more; Treecko nodded in thanks for the battle and collapsed.

A collective gasp for air was heard through the dome, as the audience released breaths that they had not realized they were holding. Brian and Max flinched slightly in surprise; they had not realized that their battle was attracting so much attention. Suddenly, the whole dome shook with the cheers and applause of the epic battle.

Max walked over to his badly injured Treecko. Picking it up gently, he said, "You were so cool out there! You managed to stand toe-to-toe with a way more experienced opponent. Be proud and get some rest." When he recalled his fallen Pokemon, it looked pleased. Likewise, Brian was congratulating his Persian for all of its efforts. Both of them recalled their Pokemon, and returned to their sides of the field.

"Not bad, kid," said Brian. "Let's see how you do against this guy! Scrafty, let's go!" Out came the fearsome Pokemon, growling in anticipation. Aipom and Ralts shivered at the sight of it; though Treecko did well against Persian, the two smaller Pokemon had their doubts about this opponent. The Psychic-type couldn't even glimpse at a single thought from the Scrafty's mind, which unsettled it even further.

Max scanned the Pokemon. _**There is no entry for this Pokemon. **_"What the heck is that thing?"

His opponent laughed. "Oh, right. You must never have been to Unova before. Scrafty is a Fighting and Dark type Pokemon."

Hearing this, he paled slightly. "Err, I'm not sure continuing is the best idea."

Brian looked confused. "How come?"

Max looked sheepish. "The thing is, my last two Pokemon are Ralts and Aipom, a Psychic-type and a Normal-type. A Scrafty as experienced as yours would just maul them, and I don't want them getting beaten up for no reason at all." His two Pokemon, though slightly downcast about not battling, agreed and nodded.

Ash nodded approvingly, as did most of the audience. _Good, he knows when to cut his losses. He's not ready to take on that Scrafty, but he's definitely getting more mature._

Brian clearly thought the same. Recalling his Pokemon, he walked over to his opponent and said, "It's good that you know what battles are worth fighting, and this one wouldn't have been for you. I'm impressed, and let me give you this as a show of it." He took out a blue disc, its edge shining in the bright light of the dome. "It's for Brick Break, and I think you can make the most of it. Reliable TMs for Fighting-type attacks are rare in Unova; take good care of it. Oh, and it can be used as many times as you want."

Max accepted the gift, placing it carefully in a compartment in his bag. "Thank you. I'll use it well." The two shook hands and grinned at each other as the audience erupted into cheers one more time. Aipom, ever the prankster, got onto its tail and bowed before returning itself to its Pokeball. This got laughter from the crowd, while Ralts shook its head and teleported onto its Trainer's shoulder.

Brian walked over to Max's mentor. He chuckled. "He's got a lot of spunk. I'd love and hate to face him when he grows even further."

Ash smiled. "I feel the same way. We had better get going; it's pretty late." He recalled his Pokemon and motioned for Pikachu to return; it promptly scampered up Ash's legs and onto its usual perch.

The other Trainer glanced up and raised an eyebrow. It was nighttime outside, though no one had noticed it. "You're right. Guess it's time to get some rest. Good luck in your training, both of you!"

"Thanks!" both Ash and Max replied as they went their separate ways. When the pair stepped outside, breathing the fresh air, Ash said, "I'm proud of your judgment." His trainee looked confused.

"You could have had Ralts and Aipom fight that Scrafty; they probably would have done so. But it would have been a massacre; the Dark-typing would have screwed Ralts over, while Aipom's Focus Punch wouldn't have been able to do much if it got knocked out first. You called it right there."

Max smiled again, and so did Ralts. Tickling his partner under the chin, making the Feelings Pokemon laugh, he said, "I didn't want them to get hurt for no reason. Someday, though, we'll be able to beat them. On that note, Ralts?" This got the Psychic-type's attention. "What do you want to evolve into? A Gallade?" Ralts nodded excitedly, imagining itself as the fearsome blade-wielding Pokemon, with all of its opposition falling under a single slash of an arm.

"Oh, so Ralts is a male," Ash said. "I was wondering about that."

The younger Trainer and his Pokemon looked at him, unimpressed. Ralts promptly rested its forehead against its hand and shook its head. The sight made the two Trainers crack up, before heading off towards the Pokemon Center. Along the way, Max had a thought.

"Hey, Ash. I know that Treecko's getting really strong and everything, but how did Energy Ball match Power Gem for a while?"

"That's because members of the Treecko evolutionary line," Ash explained, "are naturally able to use both physical attacks and special attacks well. Members of the Persian family, however, usually rely on physical attacks. Even though his Persian was obviously well-trained to use the attack, there are the natural limitations of control, which further restrict it than Treecko's current limits."

"Sheesh, Ash," Max said. "When did you learn so much about pretty much every Pokemon?"

"I scanned Persian's stats with my Pokedex."

The younger Trainer stared. "Hold it, you just said all of that to make it sound impressive? When, for the most part, it just boiled down to stats?"

"Yep."

Ralts repeated its previous gesture, which Max imitated as they walked to the Center to retire for the night, Ash roaring with laughter.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Ash, wake up!" Ralts and Pikachu were both shaking the comatose Trainer in an effort to wake him up, and Max was trying to coax his mentor out of bed. The time was twelve fifty-five, and the ferry was preparing to depart. Pikachu had considered using Thunderbolt, but that would have left the Trainer stumbling to put on his clothes and run. He would have missed the ferry for sure.

The older Trainer stirred and turned over. "Five more minutes…"

"WE'RE GOING TO MISS THE FERRY IN FIVE MINUTES!" Max yelled, unable to take it anymore. "WAKE UP!"

This got his attention; he shot out of bed and grabbed for his clothes. "Okay, are we packed?!"

"Yes, we are. I took the liberty of waking up EARLY and getting stuff that we might need, like Potions and other things from the market. Oh, I saved some breakfast for you." Pointing to a stack of buttered toast wrapped in a napkin and milk in a thermos, Max indicated the reserved food. Ash sighed in relief; he could eat on the ship. _I love this kid._

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

They made it with only seconds to spare; Ralts had climbed into its Trainer's backpack for safety, while Pikachu simply clung on for dear life. As it turned out, Norman had kept his son in top physical condition; he was able to keep pace with Ash. They dashed onto the gangplank and raised their tickets for the sailor to see, gasping for breath. They were allowed on board, but Ralts had to use Confusion to keep its Trainer's legs steady after emerging from the bag.

Once the stragglers were on board, the ferry departed from the dock and departed to Ash's and Max's next destination; Unova.

"So, what kind of Pokemon do you think we're going to find in Unova?" the younger Trainer asked his mentor as he handed over the stack of toast.

Ash shrugged, chewing on some of the food. "Beats me, but I'm sure excited. You?"

"Of course I am! We're going into a region that neither of us has even heard of before! I wonder who we're going to meet. Are the Gym Leaders strong? They're probably not as cool as my dad, though. What kinds of Legendaries are there?" This went on for another minutes, reminding Ash of their Hoenn journey. Fortunately for the older Trainer, Max ran out of breath again from the sprinting to the ship and stopped.

"Good thing we had to run here, right Pikachu?" Ash chuckled. The Electric-type's response was a Thunderbolt that nearly charred the toast in Ash's hand.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Attention passengers!" the captain announced through the loudspeaker. "We will be arriving at Nuvema Town in Unova shortly. Please make sure you have all personal possessions on hand, and remain on the ship until the gangplank is firmly secured to the dock!"

"Here we are, Ralts. After all these years and the long ride, our journey begins," Max muttered to his Psychic-type companion. "You ready to reach for the championship?" Ralts nodded slowly, feeling the anticipation of the challenge.

When the gangplank was secured, the passengers streamed out, eager to return to solid land. Ash and Max took the time to take in the surroundings. They saw houses line around the sidewalks and streets, along with trees around each and every house. Pokemon and children played with one another by a lake on the outskirts of the town. On a hill above the rest of Nuvema Town was a large building; Ash immediately identified it as the laboratory; no other building could possibly be it.

"Come on, let's get our Pokedexs' updated and head out!" Ash exclaimed, running down the path.

Ralts and Max grinned at each other, before following their mentor to the start of their journey.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Five minutes passed before they got to their destination; the path was longer than expected. They stood in front of the large glass door that marked the entrance to the lab. Ash pressed a button to the side; the doorbell.

"Just a moment, I'll be right there!"

A young woman in a lab coat, white shirt, and green pencil skirt hurried to the door, opening it and looking at the Trainers.

"Oh, you're not the new Trainer I was expecting, but never mind that. I'm Professor Juniper, and what are your names?"

"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town."

"I'm Max Maple from Petalburg City."

"You must be new here!" Professor Juniper exclaimed. "Welcome to Unova! Are you both challenging the League here?" They nodded. "Well then, I'll update your Pokedexs' and register you for the Unova League!" She collected the devices handed over from the Trainers and went to her computer, pressing keys at a very fast pace.

When she finished, she returned the updated Pokedexs and smiled warmly. "Thanks for waiting! Now then, the location of the first gym is-" She was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell again.

"Coming!" She walked over to the door and opened it, before smiling. "Hello, Trip! You must be here to obtain your Pokemon and Pokedex?"

Trip was a tan-haired boy with blue eyes, an orange hoodie, black shirt, and gray jeans. He said, "Hi, Professor Juniper! I'm finally ready to set off on my journey as a Pokemon Trainer!"

"Well, then! I'll show you the starter Pokemon that you will choose from!" She motioned for the soon-to-be Trainer to follow her, and went to the back of the room. A canister with three Pokeballs within lay on a table in the room.

Taking out each Pokeball, Professor Juniper said, "Here are your choices. Tepig…" She tossed up the Pokeball, revealing the pig-like Pokemon. It snorted Embers in excitement. "Oshawatt…" A blue otter-like Pokemon leapt out, showing off the shell on its front. "And Snivy…" The green snake-like Pokemon landed on the ground, its regal gaze and casual smirk never faltering. "Which one do you pick?"

Trip took a moment to think, and snapped pictures of them with a camera, before pointing at the Grass-type Pokemon. "I choose Snivy." Tepig looked disappointed, while Oshawatt looked devastated to not have been chosen. Snivy, on the other hand, looked satisfied as it was recalled and the Pokeball was given to its new Trainer.

Ash felt sorry for the Water-type Pokemon. _It must really want a Trainer, huh…_

Professor Juniper then gave a Pokedex and several Pokeballs to Trip. "That should be everything! Good luck on your journey, Trip!"

"Thanks! Thanks for everything!" he said, bowing as he started to leave the lab. He seemed to finally notice Ash and Max. "A Pikachu! And a Ralts!" He took out his camera and started taking pictures. Seeing the mystified looks on their faces, he explained, "I'm taking pictures so that I can document my entire journey. Those two Pokemon are extremely rare in Unova, in case you didn't know."

"Okay, then. I'm Ash, and I'm from Pallet Town," the older Trainer introduced himself.

Trip snorted. "Figures you're from the boonies. And here I was hoping that you two would show some promise," he commented.

"What was that?" Ash snapped, jaded by the new Trainer's comment.

Professor Juniper noticed the rising conflict and quickly tried to settle it. "Now, now, everyone! Let's not get worked up so soon; this is a happy day!"

The three Trainers nodded, before their eyes met. One thought was shared between the three; _this continues outside._

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"So, what do you have against Kanto, anyway?"

Ash and Max glared at Trip on the outskirts of Nuvema Town. After leaving Professor Juniper's lab, no one had said a word until now.

The new Trainer smirked. "Isn't it obvious? Kanto's Trainers are the lamest. Hoenn's aren't much better. Frankly, I think the two of you are hillbillies who need to go back to the basics of Pokemon training."

Max growled. "If you think you're so tough, then you won't mind proving it in a battle, right?" He nodded towards Ralts, who teleported onto the ground. It stood ready to battle.

"Hmph, me battle someone like you? Please, I'd rather fight your friend there." He pointed at Ash. "At least the match will last a bit longer."

The older Trainer smirked as he tossed up a Pokeball, revealing Infernape yet again. "As you were saying?"

Trip's eyes widened at the sight of the Fire-type. _There's no way I can beat that yet. I'll have to settle for the other one. _"Fine, kid; you're on. Snivy, let's go!" His starter leapt out of its Pokeball and stared regally at Ralts. "You've got the first move."

"All right, your funeral. Use Confusion!" Ralts' horn glowed as it raised its arms and slammed Snivy into the ground several times.

"Leaf Tornado!" Trip commanded. Snivy's tail shimmered with green energy as it sent a hurricane of leaves at its opponent.

Max's eyes widened; since when did starters begin with a move like that? "Teleport into another Confusion!" A moment before the tornado would have struck it, the Psychic-type disappeared and reappeared right behind Snivy. The Grass-type spun around in shock, but didn't react fast enough to avoid getting thrown into the air again.

"Tackle!" Shaking off the pain, the starter headbutted the Psychic-type from midair. The attack sent Ralts reeling as it clutched its head.

"Now," Trip yelled, "Vine Whip!" Spinning in midair, the starter sent two tendrils towards Ralts. The vines wrapped themselves around the small Pokemon and tightened. Ralts groaned in pain as it struggled to free itself.

At first, Max was at a loss of what to do. Then he remembered what had happened with Ash's Pikachu.

**Flashback**

_** Oh man, Aipom's in trouble! What do I do… oh, right! **_**"Aipom, grab Pikachu's tail with your own and use Astonish!" Smirking, Max's new Pokemon twisted and grabbed its opponent's attack, leaving it stuck. Aipom then screamed into Pikachu's face, making the Mouse Pokemon flinch in surprise.**

** "Bad move, Max!" Ash called. "Thunderbolt, go!"**

_**Aw, no… **_**"Get out of there, Aipom!" It was too late, however; Pikachu had released its electricity in a vengeful strike, knocking out its less-experienced opponent within seconds.**

**End Flashback**

_Of course! This'll put him in his place! _"Use Thunderbolt!" Ralts charged electricity in its horn and prepared to release it.

"What?!" Trip shouted. "Snivy, get out of there!" It was too late, however; the Thunderbolt coursed through the vines and struck home. Snivy screeched as it suffered under the Electric attack, despite it not being very effective. It was forced to release Ralts, before staggering back. However, a green aura surrounded it, just like Treecko's own ability.

"Overgrow…" Max muttered. "Not good."

Trip chuckled. "Not good for you, anyway. Snivy, finish this with Leaf Tornado!" Jumping up into the air one more time, it sent a second hurricane of leaves at Ralts. This time, however, the attack was much larger and glowed even more with green energy.

Max opened his mouth to give a command, but Ralts rose up an arm. The Trainer raised an eyebrow, wondering what his Pokemon was doing; a Confusion wouldn't stop that kind of an attack.

The Psychic-type's whole body glowed with blue energy, instead of just its horn. Eyes squinting in concentration, it forced the Leaf Tornado to rotate in place instead of slamming into its intended target.

Ash smiled from the side; _so Ralts did learn Psychic, after all. _He noticed that Infernape had fallen asleep during the battle, and returned it to its Pokeball.

Ralts' Trainer grinned. "All right! Return to sender!" Flinging its arms forward, Ralts sent the Grass-type attack right back to its opponent. Snivy was caught off guard again, and was struck by its own boosted attack. This time, however, it didn't get up.

Trip groaned as he saw his starter fall; his first battle was a loss, and it was to a foreigner! "Snivy, you did your best. Return," he said sadly as he recalled his Pokemon.

"You were great, Ralts!" Max cheered, hugging his longtime friend. They smirked at Trip. "Tough enough for you?"

Trip scowled. "That Ralts is full of surprises. Next time we battle, though, we won't fall for any of its tricks." He ran off to the lab to get his Pokemon healed.

"Sure, whatever you say," Ash muttered. He turned to his friend. "Nicely done, Max. You did very well. I'm especially impressed with your use of Thunderbolt; seems like Aipom's mistake helped you out there."

"Thanks!" the young Trainer said proudly. "Ralts did all of the work, though." He tickled his partner underneath the chin, making the Emotions Pokemon giggle. "Seriously though, what's with his attitude? He hates other regions for no reason at all. And the way he talks; you'd think he was going to challenge a Champion and intend to win."

Ash shrugged. "That's just how people are. Believe me, personalities don't change so easily. Hopefully he'll change for the better." Their conversation was interrupted by the rustle of bushes; judging by the sound, it didn't seem like a normal wild Pokemon.

The group tensed up immediately; they remembered Team Rocket's attempts to catch Pikachu. Most of the time, the schemes were just jokes. Several times, however, Pikachu was in real danger of being taken away by the trio. The question was whether it was really them. Just in case, Pikachu prepared a Thunderbolt within its cheeks.

"Stay behind me," Ash muttered. "We don't know what's going to happen." They both reached for a Pokeball as whatever was in the bushes began to emerge…

_** A/N: What is the next challenge facing Ash and Max on their Unova journey? Will our favorite members of Team Rocket be what emerge from the bushes, or something more sinister?**_

_** No Zekrom stealing Pikachu's electricity for no reason at all in this fanfic. That's just dumb; Zekrom didn't even appear again in the anime episodes, as far as I'm aware. My apologies if I'm wrong. On top of that, Ash gets humiliated by a newbie Trainer because Pikachu lost most of its power. Well, not this time!**_

_** Oh yeah, for those of you wondering; a straight-tailed Persian is more dangerous because it has experienced multiple battles. Nice try, LightRayPearlShipper, and thank you for answering the question. :D**_

_** Read, review, and I'll see you next time!**_

_**~RedAuraGuard, signing out.**_


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